The Dapper Critter

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Laurel felt called, as if by a sound on the edge of his hearing. Yet it was no sound he could name. A tingling warmth swept through him as he stared into the depths of the trees. It felt important to follow this feeling. Desperately so.

The shadow of the canopy closed over him. The clusters of overgrown roots Laurel so carefully tread around before seemed thinner than usual, as if a clear path had been made. He kept going, eyes forward. Over hills, through dry riverbeds and tangled bushes. Walking straight as an arrow, toward the sound-that-was-not-a-sound.

Then, quite suddenly, it was. 

Laurel stopped, holding his breath a moment. Somewhere up ahead, a Brother was weeping. Another wave of tingling made the tips of his ears flutter. He whistled Cedar’s call.

There was no answering whistle, but the crying had stopped. A flicker of doubt made Laurel falter. Had he imagined the sound? No. Laurel was sure there was a Brother up ahead, but it was not one of his own Flock.

“Brother!” he called out. “Please, call back to me!”

“Brother?” The voice was high, strained. “Where are you? I cannot see you…”

“I am here,” Laurel assured, moving swiftly toward the direction. It sounded further away than he first thought. Did the wind carry the sound of his crying to me? Laurel’s ears flared as wide as they could, to catch any deviation in the direction of his lost Brother.

“I am here. Do not be afraid. You are no longer lost. I have found you, and I will take you home.”

Laurel continued on until he emerged into a clearing. He caught sight of a bundle of Horde white curled at the base of a mossy tree. At his approach, his Brother staggered upright, reeling. He reached out to Laurel with both hands.

“Please… is this real? Please…”

Laurel took hold of his arms, both to steady him and assure his Brother that he was indeed real. “Yes. I am here.”

The Lost Brother gave a fragile smile. Whether from weakness or the need for comfort, he sagged forward to lean against Laurel’s shoulder. Laurel patted his back reassuringly. “Yes, lean on me, Brother.” 

His Brother was emitting soft plaintive chirps, a plea for comfort. Laurel returned the gesture, his own chirping bright with enthusiasm. Yes, yes, I am with you. 

Laurel’s heart ached to think of how long his Brother had been lost and alone. He was incredibly thin, and he smelled strongly of damp earth, sweat, and blood. 

But he is alive. I must get him to the others, quickly.

“Do not fear. I will take you to my Flock. It is not far now. You did well to come this far.”

Supporting his Brother, Laurel made his way back through the trees. All his energy was bent on swiftness. His heart thudded loudly in his ears, from fear or excitement he was not sure. He had no doubts of reaching home again. This was the right way. He knew it as surely as he knew to follow the pull into the woods. Yet the sense of restless urgency had not left him. He needed to reach the edge of the trees. Now. 

Is there some vestige of the Hivemind that led me to this missing Brother? Is that the source of this strange energy in the air? Then why do I only feel it when in the shelter of the trees? 

As more light streamed down, and the edge of the valley was in sight, Laurel’s ears pricked forward. Frantic voices were ahead, among them one familiar voice standing out among all others. Cedar.

The Flock had noticed his absence and was looking for him, again. A prickle of guilt dampened Laurel’s triumphant energy. He must have been gone far longer than he thought.

He cupped a hand to his mouth and whistled as loudly as he could.

The clamor of muffled voices stopped instantly, followed by a whistle response from Cedar. 

Laurel smiled, whistling a second call variation to let his friend know he was on his way back. His Brother’s ear flicked against his shoulder, and Laurel patted him in reassurance.

“That is my dear friend, Cedar. He and the others in my Flock will take care of you. We are almost home.”

The injured Brother let out an exhausted wheezy chirp.

The light from the edge of the woods was brighter now, and Laurel was beginning to make out the shapes of his friends among the trees at the edge. Cedar, Cosmo, Sunflower, even Fisher and Goldleaf were there.

Laurel fought down another spike of guilt and anxiety. Goldleaf had scolded him many times about treading too far into the Whispering Woods alone. 

He will understand why I had to return to the woods, Laurel insisted to himself, his arm wrapped firmly around his once-lost Brother. All of us are important. I could not leave our kin alone to suffer.

Cedar was the first to reach them. He didn’t wait at the edge like the others, he came in to meet them, his progress slow and wobbly as he navigated his cane around the tree roots.

“Laurel, you have been gone for hours. Are you hurt? Who is this?”

“I am well, Cee, I promise.” Laurel placed a hand on his arm, feeling and seeing Cedar’s tension and fear dissolve into relief. “I heard our Brother in the woods, and had to find him.”

Cedar’s turquoise eyes were soft. “Of course.”

Fisher had arrived beside them now. He put his arm under the injured Brother, taking on the support of his weight. “Come with us, Brother. We have food and medicine, and you can rest from your long ordeal in the woods.”

“P-praise be to Prime,” their Brother muttered, almost teary with relief.

Laurel and the others shared a look. Whether or not this one was truly devout or simply relying on old scripts, they would have to discover later. He needed help, and they wouldn’t deny him. Even if he decided not to stay in their village of free Brothers.

Goldleaf put his hand on Laurel’s shoulder, startling him. “I wish you had gotten help before rushing out, but thank you,” he nodded. “You did well to find him.”

Laurel beamed. He leaned over to touch his shoulder to Cedar’s, taking his friend’s hand and squeezing it affectionately. “I will try to remember next time.”

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